title: Management specificities of congenital laryngeal stenosis: external and endoscopic approaches.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to report our experience in the management of congenital laryngeal stenosis and to compare our series and results to published data in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series. Tertiary referral center for rare pediatric head and neck malformations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical charts of patients diagnosed with congenital laryngeal stenosis in our institution were reviewed over a 15-year period, from 1996 to 2011. Surgical treatment consisted of an endoscopic procedure, open laryngeal surgery (OLS), or a combination of both.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen patients met the inclusion criteria for the study and were divided in two groups: the endoscopic laryngoplasty (EL) group, with patients who underwent the endoscopic procedure as first-line treatment, and the OLS group, whose patients underwent open laryngoplasty with cartilage graft as first-line treatment. Each group contained eight patients with grade II to IV congenital stenosis. All patients, except one in the EL group, achieved a good result (<50% residual stenosis) at the end of the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case series suggests that EL, with incision of the subglottic laryngeal cartilages with cold steel instruments and balloon dilation, is a safe and effective treatment for congenital laryngeal stenosis grade II to IV. This procedure could be considered as an alternative option to OLS, even as a first-line procedure. An endoscopic procedure does not preclude the possibility for an open laryngeal procedure in case of failure. A prolonged follow-up is mandatory.
  
  
  METHODS
  4.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Necker Enfants-Malades Hospital, Paris.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leboulanger
authors.forename: Briac
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thierry
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Blancal
authors.forename: Fergal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Glynn
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Denoyelle
authors.forename: Erea Noël
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Garabedian
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D058753:Laryngoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D007830:Larynx / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Larynx; balloon dilation; congenital laryngeal stenosis; cricoid split; endoscopic procedure